One or more access points located within a subscriber premise may provide wireless communications and/or services to one or more stations configured to communicate with the one or more access points. Stations may include WLAN (wireless local area network) systems configured to transmit and receive wireless communications from an access point or other wireless device. The WLAN systems may include a plurality of antennas, wherein each of the antennas may include a receiver and/or transmitter for facilitating the receiving and/or transmitting of wireless communications over a wireless communication medium. With multiple antennas, a station may be configured to communicate over a plurality of spatial streams by utilizing a plurality of transmit and receive chains.
Devices using millimeter wave frequencies, such as in the 60 GHz unlicensed band, face a tradeoff problem with antenna arrays. If an array is used with a high number of elements, a high level of gain can be achieved, essentially focusing the transmissions in a small area (the same focusing effect occurs for receive operations as well). If an antenna array with a small number of elements is used, the antenna's main beam width is wider, though providing a lesser amount of gain.
Another challenging aspect is that the most commonly used arrays are square, with the same number of elements in rows and columns. While this arrangement is straightforward, it tends to produce an antenna transmission (or reception) pattern that is roughly circular, but within most rooms in a home, an oval pattern is more desirable. Further, energy that is sent into the ceiling or floor for 60 GHz is often wasted since the most likely arrangement of target devices is within a few degrees above and below the wireless access point.
Therefore, it is desirable to improve upon methods and systems for providing dynamic wireless coverage.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.